O/T Five Courses to play or replay on your Bucket List

[Patrick Kiser]

It would be interesting to run some aggregate stats to see what's floating up to the top...

[Mac Plumart]

but curiously have a very limited desire to return.

Interesting.  Any specific ones you aren't excited to see again?

[Rick Shefchik]

The replay issue is interesting.  I have been beyond blessed to play some marvelous golf courses, but curiously have a very limited desire to return.

Can't say the same. I'd crawl on my hands and knees over broken glass to play Cypress again. Same with Sand Hills. And yes, I'd go into hock to play TOC and Pebble Beach again.

[Dan Kelly]

The replay issue is interesting.  I have been beyond blessed to play some marvelous golf courses, but curiously have a very limited desire to return.

Can't say the same. I'd crawl on my hands and knees over broken glass to play Cypress again. Same with Sand Hills. And yes, I'd go into hock to play TOC and Pebble Beach again.

Agreed re: Sand Hills.

I'm pretty sure it would be on my top-5 end-of-life Bucket List if I'd played every great course in the world. But I decided to leave all previously-playeds off my lists of five.

Can't guess I'd feel the same about Pebble Beach -- not that it isn't a great golf course, but it didn't reach my soul the way Sand Hills and a few other courses (Sutton Bay, Lahinch, The Old Course, North Berwick) have.

Jason Topp -- Mind if I carry your bag at White Bear Yacht Club? I'll always be sad that I didn't get to play in the senior open there. But what a fine place, even just to walk around.

[Bill Weber]

This is basically an end of life bucket list of those played since I have recently punched the last on my list of those realistically available and only if somehow I could be magically transported there.
1. Sand Hills
2. Barnbougle Dunes & Lost Farms
3. Machrihanish
4. Machrie
5. Cruden Bay
These are on my list as much for the members/people there as the course design.

[Ronald Montesano]

Replay:
Pinehurst #2, if I could go back to age 16 and have today's conditions (wasn't so hot in 1982.)
The Old Course, if I could go back to our honeymoon and improve as a father and husband
Ballyhack, just 'cause
Stafford, if I could go back to age 22 and really enjoy what WJ Travis did there
Kinloch, as it is the closest I have ever come to Augusta-like conditioning (and we all should play that type of conditioning once in our lives.)

Play Local:
Wanakah
Oak Hill West
CC Rochester
Hamilton (Ontario)

Play National:
Oakmont, the one that started the tree-containment program of the 1990s and beyond (listening, Oak Hill East?)
National Golf Links, y'all know why
Cypress Point, it's Mac's alley, duh!
Sand Hill, nips Ballyneal by a scratch
Colonial, it's Hogan's Alley, duh!

Play International:
Either Renaissance or Castle Stuart (like to see what USA boys did in Scotland)
...
forget it...the world's too big.

[Andy Ryall]

Minnesota:
1. White Bear YC
2. Windsong Farm
3. Interlachen
4. Northland
5. Golden Valley

National:
1. Old Mac (Sept 2011)
2. Augusta
3. Oakmont
4. Worcester CC
5. Sand Hills

These would all be virginal experiences.   After reading the True Links book my G. Peper, my mind goes numb at the through of narrowing the selection down to just 5.

Thanks for the thread - good daydreaming material!

Andy

[Dan Kelly]

Minnesota:
1. White Bear YC
2. Windsong Farm
3. Interlachen
4. Northland
5. Golden Valley

Andy -- I'd put Windsong fifth on this list -- without question.

[Sven Nilsen]

For the first time:

St. Andrews (the pilgrimage)
Cypress Point (the mystique)
NGLA (the homage)
Pine Valley (the challenge)
Royal Portrush (the one that got away)

To see again:

RMW (one play is not enough, so much to learn)
RCD (it got the better of me, I want a rematch)
Yale (a great place to study the classics)
Greywalls (could have stayed in Marquette for a week)
Ballyneal (see new things every round)

[Mark Johnson]

Minnesota:
1. White Bear YC
2. Windsong Farm
3. Interlachen
4. Northland
5. Golden Valley

Andy -- I'd put Windsong fifth on this list -- without question.

Not to mention Spring Hill.   Hopefully, i will get to play White Bear for three days this summer if all goes well.

[Sean_A]

The replay issue is interesting.  I have been beyond blessed to play some marvelous golf courses, but curiously have a very limited desire to return.

Bogey

Thats interesting.  I love going back to play courses which intrigue me...if the price is right.  At a few clubs I have been mistaken for a member.  

Ciao

[Brian_Sleeman]

Royal County Down
The Old Course
Cypress Point*
Crystal Downs*
Royal Dornoch

* - previously played and could play forever

[Jud_T]

Unplayed:

NGLA
Askernish
North Berwick
Westward Ho!
Old Mac

Played:

TOC
Prestwick
Kingsley
Pinehurst #2
Westhampton

[Matt Bosela]

It's a lot easier to split this into two lists of five like many others have done but I'll stay true to the spirit of the question, listing four courses I haven't seen and only one I've played before.

1. Augusta National - I will be more than satisfied just seeing a Masters practice round in person
2. Royal County Down - Looks like a heavenly place, with great architecture and charm
3. The Old Course - Where it all began...
4. Cypress Point - Sheer artistry...
5. Sand Hills - The only course I've played on the list...a spiritual experience and the best course I've played to date

[Sean Leary]

I would have to go with 5 not played as well....


ANGC
Sand Hills
Shinnecock
NGLA
Crystal Downs

[Mike Hendren]

I admit my lack of desire to replay some of the great courses is quirky.  Perhaps this is a function of the extremely poor state of my game and problematic back - both of which I'm going to work on the remainder of this year fresh off my miserable showing at KP.

Of the courses I've played I'd most like to return to Pebble Beach, even though I have a standing invitation to play Cypress Point again.  I have been invited to return to Ballyneal as well, the site of one of my most enjoyable rounds ever.  Have to think hard on that one.  Then again, a once-in-a-lifetime experience is just that.

Frankly, I'm just a working stiff with limited resources available to sample the great big world of golf course architecture.  That, and I really enjoy working through the B list, where cool but unpretentious architecture often abounds (think LuLu, Forsgate or Aiken Golf Club).

Besides, Moses only climbed Mt. Sinai one time did he not?

Mike

[Sean_A]

I admit my lack of desire to replay some of the great courses is quirky.  Perhaps this is a function of the extremely poor state of my game and problematic back - both of which I'm going to work on the remainder of this year fresh off my miserable showing at KP.

Of the courses I've played I'd most like to return to Pebble Beach, even though I have a standing invitation to play Cypress Point again.  I have been invited to return to Ballyneal as well, the site of one of my most enjoyable rounds ever.  Have to think hard on that one.  Then again, a once-in-a-lifetime experience is just that.

Frankly, I'm just a working stiff with limited resources available to sample the great big world of golf course architecture.  That, and I really enjoy working through the B list, where cool but unpretentious architecture often abounds (think LuLu, Forsgate or Aiken Golf Club).

Besides, Moses only climbed Mt. Sinai one time did he not?

Mike

Bogey

I think Jeff Warne, yourself and me are birds of the same feather.  Tell you what, you find a 4th, get Jeff to select the courses and I will decide the number of games (I must to avoid a Warne Death March).  I am sure we can come up with a few B list keepers.

Ciao

[Tony Weiler]

Hard to pick 5, but here goes:

NGLA
Shinnecock
PV
Merion
Dismal River (cuz of the company!)

[Eric Smith]

Brian,

Bob shared his on page 2: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,47755.msg1070518.html#msg1070518

Just been looking at your pics from The Berkshire. Man what a great looking place.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Have not seens...
Royal Melbourne
Banbougle Dunes
Augusta
National
Shinnecock

Returns
Cypress
Pine Valley
Royal Birkdale
St Andrews
Ballyneal
Merion
Sand Hills

[RDecker]

A fantasy bucket list scheme if you will...

1.  Pine Valley  with a group of good friends

2.  Fisher's Island with a yankee fan (it's about half way between Conn. and NY and I'm a Sawx fan, play a match for some tix)

3.  The Old Course with my Dog

4.  Cypress Point with a member of the Crosby clan.

5.  The Country Club with some guys from that Ryder cup team,  preferably Love, Leonard and Duval.

[Tom ORourke]

Merion - again
Pine Valley - again

new -
Augusta
Barnbougle Dunes
Old Head

[Bruce Katona]

My five:

1. Country Club of the Poconos @ Big ridge - is it as bad as I remeber?
2. Reverse Jans - just because
3. Juniata - have to see this gem
4. City of Industry, CA Golf Course - just because
5. Sand Hills - after the above 4, a guy deserves it.

[Howard Riefs]

5 haven't played:
1.  Pine Valley
2.  Augusta National
3.  Old Course
4.  Oakmont
5.  Cypress Point

5 in Florida I grew up playing:
1.  Turnberry Isle (Miller Course; previously North Course)
2.  Turnberry Isle (Soffer course; previously South course)
3.  Jacaranda Golf Club (East Course)
4.  Grande Oaks Golf Club (formerly Rolling Hills)
5.  Ft. Lauderdale Country Club

[Bill Shamleffer]

Dream 5 in U.S.A.:

Cypress Point
Sand Hills
Merion
Pine Valley
NGLA


Dream Links 5:

St. Andrews, Old
Royal Dornoch
Prestwick
N. Berwick
Machrihanish



Real bucket list:

Bethpage (Black & Red)
Taconic
Greywalls
Pine Needles
Pasatiempo


Runners up:

Tobacco Road
Montauk Downs
Old White
Pacific Grove
Harding Park